الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 134 |  |  |
| | | from | 134 | | |
Abstract
It is a cross-sectional study To assess the value musculoskeletal US in determining the disease activity in patients with RA. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory auto-immune condition associated with significant functional limitations and disability. Therefore, measuring disease activity is the highly recommended way to achieve the best results in RA. However, assessing disease activity is a challenge because we can’t depend on a single parameter by its own and therefore many composite indices of RA activity that incorporate laboratory tests in addition to the clinical variables were developed. Musculoskeletal US is more sensitive than clinical evaluation in the assessment of joint swelling, and more sensitive than X-ray in the assessing erosions. It is therefore important to evaluate the contribution of US variables as potential predictors of RA activity. The study included 97 patients with RA (76 females and 21 males). All patients were assessed for TJC, SJC, HAQ, VAS-pain, ESR, CRP, anti-CCP, RF. PDUS and GSUS examination were done for all patients on 10 joints. The DAS28 were calculated for all patients using CRP, ESR and US findings. The results of the study had shown that: The US joint inflammation parameters is significantly correlated with clinical variables of RA activity, with laboratory parameters of RA as well as with DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP. The US joint damage parameters were significantly associated with the HAQ score. DAS28-US is significantly correlated with DAS28-CRP and with DAS28-ESR.